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G. & 0. N. MERIWETHER.

DRIER.

Patented June 15, 1886.

anun'n WITNESSES INVESTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILMER MERIWETHER, OF GUTHRIE, KENTUCKY, AND CHARLES N. MERI- WVETHER, OF ST. BETHLEHEM, TENNESSEE.

DRIER- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,773, dated June 15,1886.

Application filed November 6, 1885. Serial No. 182,022. (No modelo To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GILMER MERIWETH- ER, of Guthrie, in the county of Todd and State of Kentucky, and CHARLES N. MERI- WETHER, of St. Bethlehem, Montgomery county,and State of Tennessee,have invented a i new and Improved Drier, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to the construction of a fire-screen and spark-arrester designed for use in drying tobacco; and the invention consists of a sheet-metal screen formed, preferably,

with astrip of wire-cloth at the lower edges tobacco from sparks thrown off during combustion.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inv both the figures.

Figure l is a side view of our improved screen, representing the same as in position above the fire; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line at w of Fig. 1.

The body A of the screen consists of a piece of sheet-iron, preferably about six feet wide and eight or ten feet long. bent longitudinally to circular form. Before being bent the sheetiron is cut in diagonally from each corner as far as the points a, and the end pieces, I). are out olf about eight inches, more or less. The sheet is then bentlongitudinally,as best shown in Fig. 2, and the end pieces bent down and riveted or otherwise secured to the sloping sides of the main body of the screen, a piece of wire-cloth, 70, being secured to the lower edges of the end pieces. to take the place of the strips which, as stated, were cut off, the wire cloth being secured in place by rivets or any other way desired.

The screen constructed as described is held by suspending-wires c c, which are secured to the cross beams of the building or to the strips used to hang the tobacco upon, so that the screen may be hung straight, as shown, or it may be hung at an ang1e-that is, with one of the suspending-wires shorter than the other.

In operation an open fire is built beneath the screen, and as the flames and sparks rise they will be carried to the screen directly over the fire, there to be carried to the ends of the screen to be arrested by the wire-cloth is.

With such a screen as has been described the fires may be made to burn heavy logs,thus saving the expense and trouble of preparing the wood. It will of course be understood that the screen might be supported by standards, instead of being suspended by wires, and it will also be understood that the crosssectional form might be varied to an expanded V, or to a screen having angular side and end leaves, and that the pieces I) might be perforated sheet metal, instead of Wirecloth.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fire-screen and spark'arrester consisting of a sheet-metal plate bent to have depressed ends and sides, and provided at the ends with perforated pieces b,'substantially as described.

2. A fire-screen and spark-arrester consisting of a piece of sheet-iron bent to circular form and provided with end pieces, I), the whole device being suspended above the fire by wires 0 a, substantially as set forth.

3. A fire-screen and spark-arrester consisting of a sheet-metal body diagonally cut from each corner, bent to circular form, and having strips cut from the end pieces formed by the diagonal cuts, said end pieces being united to the main curved body of the screen, and pro vided with wire cloth attachn'ients 7c, substantially as set forth.

GILMER MERIWETHER. CHARLES N. MERIWETHER...

Witnesses to the signature of Gilmer Meriwether:

GILMER M. BELL, A. R. GHoLsoN. Witnesses to the signature of Charles N. Meriwether:

J. M. COLLIER, G. M. BELL. 

